No matter what Obama does at the Federal Communications Commission, it'll be change we can believe in.
(photo: Kevin Martin)
Hannity & Big Pants are trying to get you riled up about the fake threat of the Fairness Doctrine, and the FCC headlines are all about the looming, scary switch to digital teevee.
But what's really gonna happen in a new Democratic FCC will be an Obama plan to give all Americans broadband; the undoing Bush-era deregulations
favorable to the giant
media corporations; and reversing the acrimonious and dysfunctional
working environment in the powerful federal agency.
The communications landscape will see big shifts in 2009 -- and we're hopeful we'll have a regulatory agency willing and able to address them.
This demands institutional reform and a non-ideological agenda at a powerful agency that oversees everything from cable providers and radio airwaves to public safety communications and broadcast indecency.
The FCC, under the tight-sphinctered rule of the always-embattled Republican Kevin Martin and his Republican majority has encouraged media consolidation, and helped scuttle local ownership. (Read conservative John Carlson's (KOMO m-f, 10a-2p) 2007 anti-consolidation speech to the FCC here).
Reform has been spelled out in a damning congressional report that is expected to weigh heavily in the confirmation of any new Chairman or Commissioners.
"Deception and Distrust: The Federal Communications Commission Under Chairman Kevin J. Martin." is the fruit of a long-running investigation by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Martin's deregulation and corporate favoritism has made such practices as fake news videos and radio payola easier; and have neglected the protection of an open Internet by adopting Net Neutrality rules.
These "small government" types are ace when it comes to jack-booting for the "values" crowd. The Bush FCC has been most effective protecting us all from vicious T &A broadcasting crimes and misdemeanors.
On the "T," er, front, they'll be best remembered for the crackdown after the 9-11 of indecencies, the Janet Jackson Super Bowl nipple disaster.
And speaking of "crackdowns," how about the "A" action of 2008 when the august body ruled that female butt cheeks were ruled to be sex organs. This remarkable conclusion, a whimsical yet terrifying view of community standards, along with a few citizen complaints hoked up by a right-wing advocacy group provoked them to fine 51 local TV ABC affiliates stations across the Midwest and West which are ABC affiliates $27,500 each.
While butt cheeks are important, the FCC has lots of work to do, and undo.
We'll know soon who Obama will name to the body: the term of Republican Deborah Taylor Tate has just ended. The president gets commissioners for limited terms, with the party in power getting three of five spots, including the chairmanship.
That means Martin is out (although he says he won't quit until 2011). The interim chair may be filled by one of the two heroic Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps, or Jonathan Adelstein. One of them could get the long-term job, but many other names have circulated as potential candidates.
Good.
Posted by: sparky | January 12, 2009 at 05:32 AM
Too early to ascertain whether it's good or bad!
Posted by: Duffman | January 12, 2009 at 07:48 AM
Copps and Adelstein are the only two rational people in there. They should make cable service al la carte instead of the useless packages they sell.
Posted by: Coiler | January 12, 2009 at 08:23 AM
no matter what, there will be real change. in a year or so the Democrats will run the FCC. Probably too late to save radio, but net neutrality, and other media deconsolidation are a distinct possibility.
Posted by: Fala's pup | January 12, 2009 at 09:54 AM
Isn't that good? Sounds like a win-win to me. And giving all Americans broadband like the other first-world countries have . . . what's not to like?
Kevin is probably leaving like all the other repugs: with a high-paying job waiting and money in his pocket. He's part of the base, you know.
Don't you all just feel so sorry for Robert Rubin?
BTW, the oil companies "enroned" us. Who did I hear say that? Dean Baker maybe? Some economist in the last couple of days when asked how we got in such a mess. He said "Enron." After Enron, other companies just did the same thing. Unbelievable.
Only in America.
Posted by: joanie | January 12, 2009 at 10:12 PM